Volunteer Highlight
An Interview with Ross Gorman – Little Free Libraries Volunteer
by Anne Weirich, Secretary, Brewster Ladies’ Library Association
Maybe this summer you spotted a beautiful golden retriever in a 1969 silver convertible Chevelle SS 396 cruising up to a Little Free Library in Brewster somewhere. If you did, you also saw one of our volunteers – Ross Gorman. Ross tells me that the dog and the car turn a lot of heads. But it might be the cargo in the trunk that sparks interest, too.
The Little Free Libraries were purchased from The Little Free Libraries non-profit organization. They have a great mission, which fits right in with ours: to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.
They would love to see Little Free Libraries in every community and a book for every reader. “We believe all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege.”
This idea of open and free access to books for all is surely is expressed in the kind of books that Ross and his staff of volunteers put on the shelves from Memorial Day through Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day. The books come from various places, but most come from donations to the book sale. Except for putting extra children’s books at the beach and Drummer Boy Park boxes, Ross tries not to censor or edit donated books puts in the libraries.
He learned how important this is while stocking a little library one day. Ross removed a book in Russian, thinking no one would be able to read it. Someone behind him asked why he was taking the book. I want that book, she said, with a Russian accent. There are a lot us of Russian readers on the Cape. So Ross left the book. And it was returned. With a thank you note.
Ross has been a volunteer at the library for about 10 years. He began as a board member, recruited by a friend who was on the now dissolved endowment committee. It sounded like a good idea – a good fit – for Ross. A life long reader, he was already enthusiastic about the
community feel of the library. He liked the energy of the staff and board. As someone who had a lot of business experience, he felt he took care of the nuts and bolts to allow the more creative types the space they needed to really grow their ideas and programs. “It seemed like a fun organization that was positive,” Ross remembered. So he joined in.
Ross served six years on the board. And was secretary for a time. After his board service, Ross decided to take on the outside Christmas decorations. That was also a lot a fun. But he has a lot of multi-colored lights at his house after he learned that only white lights are allowed along the Kings Highway!
A couple of years before Covid, Ross mentioned to the library director that he’d seen little free libraries on his travels. After awhile, he read in the minutes and found out that the idea was approved by the BLLA board. So he came right in and volunteered to take care of them.
The first step was to purchase three boxes from the “Little Free Libraries” organization. Molly Savage painted these first “little frees” in the colors of the library, complete with window boxes and flowers.
Eventually more were added. The locations are:
Nickerson State Park
Crosby Landing Beach
Drummer Boy Park
Paines Creek Beach
Breakwater Beach
Captain’s Golf Course
As more locations were added, some additional volunteer help was needed beyond Ross and his golden retriever. So now Valeria Bradley and Mark Livermore stock three libraries and Ross does three.
The Drummer Boy park box is stocked as much as possible with children’s books. About 600 books for kids went out this summer. All together, 2050 books were given away in 2023. In 2022: 2200, 2021: 2600 and 2019: 3500 were given away out of only 3 boxes!
There has been a slow down in give aways over the years. Ross thinks this could likely be increased again in two ways. By finding more books to give away without taking away from the book sale. So if you have ideas, let Ross know. He’d love to hear them.
By converting more of the boxes into a “take one/leave one” library. The box at Captain’s Golf course turned into one of these on its own. Ross says he doesn’t really need to stock it any more.
Ross would welcome a few additional volunteers throughout July and August to give breaks here and there to him and his current crew. And he’s always open to ideas for new locations. Some of the little frees don’t get as much traffic, so moving them around could help increase the access.
Ross says that the library custodian Rick and library volunteer coordinator Lauren deserve a lot of credit and gratitude for helping to keep the volunteers stocked with books. If you’d like to help, contact Lauren or Ross.
Part of what makes the work with the little frees so great is that Ross gets to hear a lot of appreciation for the Brewster Ladies Library and share in the excitement of the people as they see the new books. A lot of times, people come and stand around to look at books in the trunk.
One person gave him $50 to say thanks. In early October, when he went to remove the books from the little free at Nickerson, the rangers protested. “Everybody loves those books! Don’t take them out.”
But it was time. The boxes come out every fall. And Ross takes them home to repair the hinges and touch up the paint, replace worn knobs, loose magnets and chains that keep the doors from blowing open too far.
We all owe Ross our appreciation for coming up with the idea of Little Free Libraries for Brewster. Through the generosity of members, the Board was able to fund them. And now, you and your crew keep them up so well.
Free books for all! Thank you Ross! Through your work and vision, you and your volunteers have done more than serve our Library and community. You’ve also connected us to a global community that shares the mission of the Brewster Ladies Library: “to be a cultural and life-long learning community center that provides free access to a range of resources, activities and professional (and should we add, volunteer?) assistance to further enhance the quality of life of the community.”
So, maybe we can all join Ross in this international effort as we, too, “take one and leave one” next time we see him drive up to a little free in his silver convertible to drop off more books!
